The moment Ophelia’s eyes met Idren’s, she realized it was possible to hold one’s breath with just a single glance. So perhaps the words of those in love weren’t all nonsense after all.

But the man looking up at the balcony where she sat simply turned his back and walked away. Ophelia, who had just opened her mouth to call his name, was startled by his retreating figure. Wait, didn’t our eyes definitely meet?

However, before she could even utter Idren’s name, her maid grabbed her shoulder from behind.

“What if you fall!”

And the girl dragged her into the room, slamming the balcony door shut with a loud bang.

At any other time, Ophelia would have scolded her for such behavior, but now she couldn’t say a word. She was too busy trying to process the absurd incident that had just occurred.

But.

But isn’t this impossible?

For Idren to avoid her gaze.

It was unbelievable, but disbelief doesn’t change the situation.

Sitting on the bed, Ophelia replayed what had just happened.

If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, Idren had definitely seen her and turned his back. That cold retreating figure was still vivid in her mind.

But for that man to turn away at the sight of me?

Idren was not that kind of person at all.

Though married twice, the man who was still her fiancé due to some inexplicable twist of fate was, although it’s a bit awkward to say, completely smitten with her.

If either of them were to avoid the other, wasn’t it always her?

Could it be that Idren has lost his memories?

Trying to find a reason for such undeserved treatment, such thoughts crossed her mind.

But that made even less sense. An Idren without memories of the past would be even less likely to turn away from her.

Hadn’t he stubbornly washed her feet even when she threw the basin at him?

The more she mulled over the situation, the more indignant she felt. Deliberately ignoring the fact that this was an emotion she could feel because she had the upper hand in their unbalanced relationship, Ophelia pondered over why he had acted so strangely.

It wasn’t just the fact that he had turned his back that was the problem. Though the sunlight was too bright to see clearly, the man had definitely been pressing his lips tightly together.

Ophelia knew when he set his mouth like that. Wasn’t it always when he felt wronged, or angry, or in any case, very displeased?

But the Idren she knew would rush over to confront her immediately if he had any complaints.

Frowning at a situation that didn’t add up no matter how she tried to piece it together, Ophelia suddenly remembered a fact she had forgotten.

Anyway, Idren was in the Reden Palace right now. If there was anything suspicious, she could just meet him directly and ask.

She had been staying in her room all this time, but there was no rule saying she had to do so now.

As she got up from the bed and opened the door, her maid quickly followed.

“Your Highness, where are you going!”

Ignoring the maid’s shouts behind her, Ophelia stepped into the corridor. The palace, which in her past life she had stripped of every single decoration, now gleamed disgustingly.

No wonder they lost the country twice. Inwardly mocking her brother who couldn’t even claim the throne that was practically handed to him, Ophelia passed through the familiar corridor. It was then that a repulsive face appeared in the distance.

“Why are you out here?”

The moment she saw her brother’s living face thrust before her, Ophelia almost retched involuntarily. It felt like seeing a corpse crawl out of its grave.

It seems her stomach had weakened after living in the palace, cared for by Idren. Clicking her tongue at this sensitivity that was unhelpful when dealing with blood relatives, if not when in love, Ophelia asked,

“Where is His Majesty?”

“Why are you looking for that man?”

Why am I looking for him? Is there a reason needed to look for one’s husband? Barely holding back the urge to sneer, she chose an appropriate answer.

“We’re to be married soon, shouldn’t I see his face?”

“I thought you were displeased because of that dead man?”

He spoke as if he had completely forgotten who had killed Haslen. Ophelia replied to her brother who was acting senile despite not being that old yet.

“Well, His Majesty didn’t kill Rakmata’s son, so why would I be displeased with him?”

“Are you talking back to me now…”

It was then that the sound of someone approaching was heard. Mahanas, who was about to lose his temper, quickly composed his face.

Following her two-faced brother, Ophelia turned her head and raised an eyebrow at the familiar face she saw.

“Penrel?”

“You know my name?”

His Majesty must have told you about me. The knight added as he approached her. It felt strange to see the knight bowing to her as if he was meeting her for the first time. Even though she understood intellectually that this was their first meeting, it still felt odd.

Penrel kissed her somewhat awkwardly outstretched hand and smiled. It was a genial smile one might use when dealing with a well-bred young lady.

“I am Penrel of House Soer. The King left me here as Your Highness’s guard, so please feel free to treat me comfortably.”

Penrel instead of Hael? Furrowing her brow at this decision unlike Idren, Ophelia soon realized there was something strange about the knight’s words.

“You say His Majesty left you and went?”

“Yes, to ensure Your Highness’s safety until you go to Aglante…”

“No, that’s not what I mean… Are you saying His Majesty has already left the palace?”

Surely that can’t be.

In her first life, Idren said he had waited for her to open the balcony door.

In her second life, he caught her when she fell from the balcony,

In her third life, when the balcony was closed, he opened the door and came in.

But now, he saw her face but left without exchanging a single word?

Staring blankly at this unbelievable statement, forgetting that they had ‘just’ met, the knight said with an awkward smile,

“Yes, His Majesty left the palace a short while ago.”

Hearing those words, Ophelia almost blurted out that she would chase after him immediately.

But before the sentence could leave her tongue, reason barely managed to surface. How stupid, we’re not even married yet. How can I say I’m going to chase after him out of the blue?

I’d look like a madwoman.

In truth, she was closer to that state than being in her right mind, but she didn’t want to appear as a deranged princess in front of the knight of Aglante.

In the end, Ophelia had no choice but to return to her quarters with the awkwardly smiling second son of House Soer.

What on earth is he thinking?

Sitting on the bed that wasn’t adorned with pillars, Ophelia tried to make sense of this absurd situation.

Idren clearly remembered the past.

And, he seemed very angry with her.

She wasn’t certain about the second guess. While his crumpled face certainly suggested anger, there were a few points that made it difficult to draw a definitive conclusion.

First of all, it was unclear why Idren was angry.

Because she had died? But this time, Ophelia hadn’t taken her own life. Although she had never expressed a desire to live, that didn’t mean she wanted to die. Ophelia had intended to try various things with her husband.

And if it was murder, shouldn’t they be putting their heads together right now to deduce who killed her?

Even if he thought she had taken her own life, it would be the same. Shouldn’t he have rushed over to confront her, given his personality?

No, considering his oddly hopeful nature, he was the type of man who wouldn’t believe she had killed herself until he heard it directly from her.

Yet he just left a knight behind and went?

In fact, it might be an exaggeration to say ‘just’ a knight, as Penrel Soer and half of the royal first division was quite a significant force, but to Ophelia, anyone left behind who wasn’t the man she had married twice seemed all the same. In other words, not very impressive.

Idren Sigrasal. Suppressing the urge to shake the man who was complicating her thoughts, Ophelia leaned her head against the bedpost. What on earth are you thinking?

“Did His Majesty not leave anything for me?”

It was a question asked out of hope that perhaps he had just left due to some truly urgent matter, but the response was negative.

“I’m sorry, but His Majesty didn’t leave any separate letter.”

Ah, he did transfer some property before leaving, if that’s what you mean… Ophelia shook her head at the knight who was speaking to her gently as if she were a young lady. No, that’s not it.

Should I just consider myself crazy and follow him? She thought that far before remembering how terrible her horseback riding skills were. She had never ridden a horse except for when Haslen taught her as a child.

But if she were to take out the royal carriage, Mahanas would stand in her way.

Suppressing the murderous impulse towards her brother who was never helpful in life, Ophelia rubbed her face.

It was then that an idea occurred to her.

If she couldn’t go see him directly, couldn’t she send a letter?

Due to the nature of writing, it would only be a one-way communication which might be a bit frustrating, but in the current situation, that would be the fastest method.

Having made her decision, Ophelia opened the drawer of her vanity and took out paper. Thanks to her brother who thought people lived by putting powder on their faces, the princess version of her had a huge vanity but no study, so she wrote letters at her vanity.

After hastily writing a letter containing only the important facts and sealing it roughly, Ophelia sought out Penrel who was waiting outside.

“Can you deliver this to His Majesty?”

The knight looked at her with puzzled eyes as she suddenly thrust the letter at him, but he readily agreed.

“Yes, of course.”

Then he smiled warmly, apparently thinking she was excited with anticipation for her fiancé.

The letter was more scrawled with irritation and anxiety than anticipation, but it was too complicated to explain. Ophelia decided to just add to the knight’s misunderstanding and smiled shyly. Anyway, she believed that Idren would understand the situation once he received the letter.

However, not long after, the letter she had sent was returned.

Along with the news of Taeran Lohos’s death.